New sports at Commonwealth Games likely despite plan for maximum 15 from 2026

There isn’t even a host yet for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, but a big shake-up is coming with only two sports guaranteed to be on the program.

The Australian team marches into the stadium at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in 2018. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

Athletics and swimming will be the only compulsory sports at future Commonwealth Games under a proposed “strategic road map” that could limit futures Games to just 15 sports.

Next year‘s Games will be held in Birmingham, England, from July 28 and will feature 19 sports. But the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has recommended that “approximately 15 sports” feature at future Games from the 2026 event onwards.

A host for the 2026 Games hasn’t been confirmed and the new plan would allow any bidders to propose entirely new sports “relevant to their nation or culture to enhance cultural showcasing and community engagement”.

Athletics and swimming would be afforded protected status due to their historical place in the program and gender balance.

Sports including netball are included in the Commonwealth Games but not the Olympics, although a strong international push has begun for inclusion.

A women’s-only T20 event is also being played in Birmingham next year, and cricket is proposed as a “core” sport going forward along with traditional Olympic sports like diving, archery, shooting and boxing.

But any Commonwealth Games beyond 2022 could take on a whole new look, with the prospect of Esports even being included.

“As part of an ongoing consultation with international federations, there are ambitions for a revised sport program to provide hosts with more flexibility to choose from a wider list of core sports,” a statement released by the CGF said.

“This will now include disciplines that have previously been listed as optional sports such as T20 cricket, beach volleyball and 3x3 basketball.

“This will allow hosts the ability to propose entirely new sports, relevant to their nation or culture, to enhance cultural showcasing and community engagement.”

🌇 Renewed flexibility for future hosts/co-hosts
🏡 Enhanced athlete village solutions
🏅 Sustained commitment to a fully integrated Para sport programme

With a focus upon flexibility and innovation, we are proud to introduce our new Strategic Roadmap.

Read more ⬇️

— Commonwealth Sport (@thecgf) October 11, 2021

The proposal also added there would minimum and maximum caps on athletes and no requirement for future hosts to have an athletes’ village, with a focus on finding alternative solutions to reduce costs.

“Our Games need to adapt, evolve and modernise to ensure we continue to maintain our relevance and prestige across the commonwealth,“ CFG president Louise Martin said.

“Our next step is to work closely with our international federation partners to ensure they can contribute to the vision and direction of the road map in order to underpin the future of the Games.”

Lawn bowls was part of the program at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Picture: Stuart Taylor

COMMONWEALTH GAMES SHAKE-UP

Proposed compulsory sports

Aquatics (swimming, including Para)

Athletics (including Para)

Proposed core sports

Aquatics (diving)

Archery (recurve)

Badminton

Basketball 3x3 (men and women)

Boxing

Cricket (men and women)

Cycling (mountain bike, road, track, track Para)

Gymnastics (artistic and rhythmic)

Hockey (men and women)

Judo

Lawn bowls (including Para)

Netball (women)

Powerlifting (Para)

Rugby Sevens (men and women)

Shooting (clay target, small bore, full bore, pistol)

Squash

Table Tennis (including Para)

Triathlon (including Para)

Volleyball (beach)

Weightlifting

Wheelchair basketball 3x3 (Para)

Wrestling (freestyle)